Her Knight
by SymphonySamurai
Summary: Three years after her the gates to Arendelle are opened, another prince arrives with his eyes set on Elsa's throne. Unfortunately for him, the Ice Queen's heart already belongs to another, and she's not about to let her sister go without a fight. Dark!Elsanna.
1. Chapter 1

"Frozen" and its characters and settings are the intellectual property of Disney. The picture that inspired this fic is called "My Knight" by patronustrip.

* * *

Her Knight

"Your Majesty, I really wish you would reconsider my proposal. I truly feel that a closer relationship between our kingdoms would bring unprecedented prosperity to the people of both..."

Queen Elsa of Arendelle barely repressed a sigh at one of the most obnoxious suitors to have approached her throne in the three years since her coronation. Usually all it took was an arched eyebrow and a politely worded "no" to have even the most confident suitors scurrying from her presence as quickly as good manners would allow. This man, however, would not take no for an answer, and it was beginning to try the Ice Queen's patience.

"Prince Cassius," she interrupted. "While I appreciate your concern for Arendelle and its subjects, I'm afraid that a bond of marriage between our two nations just isn't feasible at this time. Rest assured that this will have no impact on the continued good relations between us, and trade will continue as usual. Now then, I believe your ship is scheduled to leave at noon. You are free to enjoy the hospitality of Arendelle until that time. Good day, Prince Cassius."

Prince Cassius blinked in surprise at Queen Elsa's frosty dismissal. He had been warned of the Ice Queen's limited patience for those who sought her hand, but he had yet to meet the woman who could resist him when he poured on his charm. Not quite willing to accept defeat, he tried one more time.

"Your Majesty, please, if you would just-"

"Enough!" The temperature in the room suddenly dropped until the prince could see his breath in front of him. His guards and attendants all began shivering in the sudden cold, but the Queen's people seemed unaffected. The prince suddenly worried that he may have pushed too far when he noticed the queen's piercing glare pinning him where he stood.

"I believe I have made my position abundantly clear," she said. "However, should you continue to press the matter, you may find my hospitality to be in suddenly short supply. Do I make myself clear?"

The prince glared back, rage etched into his features. Sensing his lord's mood, one of his attendants quickly stepped up and grabbed his arm which had been inching toward the sword at his hip.

"Don't be a fool!" He hissed. "You'll condemn us all!" Receiving a grudging nod, the attendant turned and bowed to the angry Ice Queen. "Your Majesty, we thank you for your indulgence. It is clear that we have overstayed our welcome, so we shall take our leave. Your Majesty." The man bowed again and began leading the prince from the throne room. Just as they reached the heavy wooden doors, the prince suddenly threw himself into his attendant, shoving the man into the prince's guards.

"What the hell are you doing?" The attendant cried. He tried to reach the prince but found himself held tightly by the prince's guards. The prince himself had drawn his sword and turned to face the queen, only to find his path cut off by a wall of razor sharp ice spikes. Rather than try cutting his way through them, Prince Cassius raised his voice to be heard over the cries of outrage filling the hall.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle! You have been approached by every eligible suitor in the Seven Kingdoms and not one of them has met with your approval. By the laws set forth by the Charter of the Seven, you are responsible for the continuation of Arendelle's royal line. Should you fail to produce an heir, you will be deposed as queen and a suitable ruler installed in your place."

Elsa glared at the man from her throne, which had frozen solid in her fury. "I'm well aware of the laws of the Charter, Prince Cassius. What I'm unaware of is how the continuation of my line is any concern of yours, nor how you plan to explain drawing your sword in my presence."

The prince laughed darkly. "Oh, but it is my concern, Your Majesty. As I am the last eligible suitor to ask for your hand, you must accept my proposal or be found in contempt of the Charter. The only way out is if you have already chosen a suitor, which my sources tell me you have not."

The queen's glare suddenly morphed into a victorious smirk. "It seems your sources are mistaken, Your Highness. My hand and my heart are already spoken for, and they have been since shortly after my coronation. You can expect an announcement throughout the Seven Kingdoms by the summer solstice, as we are planning on a winter wedding. Now, sheathe your weapon and leave my castle immediately. Your welcome has just expired."

The prince's smile was predatory. "Not so fast, Your Majesty. I hereby claim my right to challenge this mystery suitor to a duel for the right to your hand. Let him show himself, if indeed he exists, and let us see who it is that could melt the Ice Queen's heart, hmm?"

At the prince's words the struggling attendant stilled and the color drained from his face. "Prince Cassius, you must not do this! You threaten the livelihood of your father's kingdom by igniting a war with Arendelle! Surely you can see the danger-"

He was cut off as Prince Cassius delivered a vicious backhand across his face. "I'll deal with your insubordination momentarily," he snarled before turning back to the queen. "Well?"

The attendant thought he might have been hit harder than he thought when he saw a look akin to pity flash across the queen's features as she studied the prince. After several tense moments, the wall of ice dissipated and Queen Elsa turned to a large man wearing the livery of the Kingdom of Arendelle. "Kai," she said, "please send for my betrothed and inform them of the circumstances."

The man bowed and strode purposely from the room only to return a few minutes later. "your Majesty," he said with a bow, "your betrothed is preparing for the duel and will join us momentarily."

"Thank you Kai," she replied, nodding for the man to return to his post. The prince paced back and forth through the center of the room like a caged tiger while the queen of Arendelle looked on in stony silence. After a five-minute eternity, the door that Kai had left and returned from opened to admit Princess Anna, clad in dueling leathers with a sword of ice on her hip. The prince and his entourage watched in stunned disbelief as the princess crossed the room to approach the throne. They received yet another shock as the queen's emotionless mien melted into a radiant smile full of warmth and love. Princess Anna matched the smile with one of her own before raising the queen's right hand to her lips to plant a gentle kiss on her knuckles.

"Hello, my love," Anna said warmly. "I take it our secret is finally out?"

"It would appear so, Dear Heart," Elsa replied in the loving voice she reserved only for her sister. "But we knew it would happen eventually."

Anna chuckled and nodded before turning to regard the gaping Prince Cassius with a haughty glare. It was obvious to everyone observing that in a single glance the man had been weighed, measured, and had clearly been found wanting.

"Not much to look at, is he?" She stage-whispered to her grinning sister. "Why, it looks as if he's attempting to catch flies." Her words seemed to snap the prince out of his stupor and his mouth snapped shut with an audible click before regarding Anna with a mixture of confusion and fury.

"You?" He finally managed to say. "You're Elsa's fiancée? What sort of trickery is this?"

Anna's eyes hardened. "Remember whom you are addressing, _Your Highness_," she spat. "She is Queen Elsa of Arendelle, my sister, my queen, and my love. I am Princess Anna of Arendelle, Heiress and Consort to the Crown, and you are a visitor in _our_ kingdom. You would do well to remember your place."

Prince Cassius scoffed. "You're serious? The queen's own sister, Consort to the Crown? Have you all gone mad?"

"I assure you that what my sister tells you is true, Your Highness," Elsa said. "Now that you have seen the proof of our relationship for yourself, I trust that we can dispense with this unpleasantness before someone gets hurt."

The prince laughed loudly. "Oh no, Your Majesty," he said. "If the Princess wishes to aid you in whatever conniving scheme you're attempting to avoid marriage, then I feel it is only fair for her to bleed for it. The challenge stands. Let's see how far you're both willing to take this charade."

Queen Elsa sighed. "Very well," she said tiredly before turning to her sister with a smoldering look. "Try to make this quick, my love. You know what seeing you in those leathers does to me."

Anna smiled hungrily and gave a short bow. "As you command, my Queen." Turning to her opponent, the princess drew her blade and saluted, signaling her readiness. The prince smiled mockingly and returned the salute, and both fighters began circling each other in the improvised dueling arena that had formed from the spectators around them.

"You don't have to do this, you know," Prince Cassius said. "There's no reason for me to have to disfigure such a lovely woman when it would be so much easier for you both to stop this farce right now."

"Oh?" Anna replied. "And what would become of me once you are crowned King of Arendelle? Am I to be married off to some dim witted cousin to spend the rest of my days as a useless trophy wife?"

The prince smiled coldly. "Hardly, my dear. No, I'm afraid that you will spend the rest of your days in a brothel, spreading your legs daily for the lowest of my father's subjects. After all, what use will I have for you when I'll be busy running this kingdom by day and bedding your sister every night?"

Anna's eyes narrowed. "Over my dead body."

The prince shrugged and said, "as you wish." That was all the warning she got before he sprang into motion, his sword whistling through the air toward her head. The prince's confident smirk faltered as he hit nothing but empty air. His confidence wavered even further when he found himself on the defensive, barely stopping the icy blade from cutting him to ribbons. Cassius was known in his kingdom for his prowess with a blade, a skill he had been counting on when he thought up this plan to claim Arendelle's throne as his own. He had heard of the failed plot by Prince Hans of the Southern Isles to do the same, and he knew he would be no match for the Ice Queen herself. Expecting to face some lesser-known scion of a minor kingdom, he had been delighted by the unexpected sight of the princess arriving to answer his challenge. However, his excitement was quickly giving way to panic as Princess Anna proved herself to be more than a match for him with a blade.

As he deflected another attack that narrowly missed cleaving his head from his shoulders, he caught a glimpse of the queen as she sat watching the duel from her throne. It was then that he began to suspect that the sisters' ruse may not be a ruse at all, for the queen was watching her sister fight as if it was the most erotic thing she'd ever seen. The obvious lust in her eyes and the swell of her heaving breast may have only distracted him for a split second, but it was more than enough for Anna.

Before he realized it, Prince Cassius found himself on his knees screaming in agony as he clutched the frozen stump where his sword hand used to be. Through the haze of pain he barely registered the princess kicking his sword, with his hand still wrapped around it, across the floor and well out of reach. His attention was immediately grabbed by the point of an icy blade coming to rest at his throat. His eyes followed the bloody sword up past the arm holding it until he met the burning gaze of the Princess of Arendelle.

"Do you yield?" She growled, her sword arm steady as a rock despite the hectic duel that had just ended. The prince looked down at his ruined wrist, expecting to find himself bleeding out. He was both relieved and horrified to find instead that the blade of ice had frozen the wound solid. Realizing that his gambit had failed, he sighed and lowered his head in defeat. He felt the deadly piece of ice vanish from his throat and the strong, angry hands of the queen's guards haul him roughly to his feet. It took him several moments but he finally gathered enough courage to raise his head and look at his victorious opponent, wishing almost instantly that he had not.

Princess Anna stood before him with her sword pointing skyward, the flat of the blade still smeared with royal blood. _His_ blood. The Princess was giving him a vicious smirk that morphed into a half-lidded smile of pleasure as her sister approached from behind and wrapped her arms around her champion, claiming her neck with a possessive love bite. Despite his terror and agony, the prince found the sight incredibly arousing, but his arousal vanished as quickly as it came as the reality of the situation finally set in.

This was no ruse, no strange scheme to keep the queen of Arendelle from having to share her power. As much as he wished to deny it, Prince Cassius could now see that the two women before him were as close to each other's hearts as the most ardent of lovers, and woe betide any who tried to separate them. The prince ruefully corrected his earlier observation. His gambit had not only failed, but it never had a chance of succeeding in the first place, and now his life was forfeit for it.

The prince broke from his musing to find the sisters of Arendelle wearing identical smirks, obviously amused at the dawning realization in his eyes. Keeping her gaze fully locked with his, Queen Elsa spoke to the room. "Kai?"

The man stepped forward and bowed. "Your Majesty?"

"Remove this man and his entourage from my sight. They are to be returned to their ship and sent back to Gastonia immediately. Prince Cassius is hereby banned from entering the Kingdom of Arendelle forever, and shall be executed as an enemy of the kingdom should he return. Are my orders understood?"

Kai shot the prince a steely glare. "Perfectly, Your Majesty."

Elsa nodded, her arms still wrapped tightly around her sister. "Very good," she said, before turning her face into her sister's hair and breathing deeply. "Come, my knight," she whispered huskily. "I have need of you."

Anna craned her neck to give her sister more access to its supple flesh. "As you command, my Queen," she purred as they headed towards their private chambers, shooting each other searing looks along the way.

Kai watched them go with a fond smile on his lips that turned to stoic determination as he turned to the disgraced prince and his party. "You," he said, pointing to the ashen-faced attendant the prince had struck earlier, "with me. The rest of you are to be escorted to the docks. If you so much as swat a bug my men will kill you where you stand. Now move!" The attendant watched with shame in his eyes as the rest of his kinsmen were pushed from the room by the queen's guard. No sooner was the last of them through the door did Kai find the attendant on his knees in front of him.

"My Lord," the man cried, "I offer my most heartfelt apologies, insignificant as they are, for the treatment Queen Elsa and Princess Anna received here today. If I had been able I would've gladly stood against Prince Cassius in their defense. Rest assured that his father the King will be notified of his atrocious behavior the minute we arrive back in Gastonia. You have my solemn word."

Kai regarded him with an unreadable expression for several moments before a large smile appeared on his face. "I knew I had a good feeling about you," he said as he helped the man to his feet. "Your apology is appreciated, but unnecessary. You did the best you could under the circumstances, and your efforts to avert violence were duly noted. Tell me, what is your name friend?"

The man bowed with obvious relief. "I am called Justin, my Lord. Are you sure that the queen and princess were unharmed?"

Kai laughed. "Oh I've no doubt that they're iin the middle of a very thorough mutual examination as we speak. Trust me, there's nothing wrong that can't be set right with the treatment they're giving each other. Oh, my name is Kai, by the way."

Justin gaped at the man before shaking his head as if to clear it. "I'm sorry, what?"

Kai's smile took on a mischievous glint. "You can call me Kai. I'm certainly no lord, so there's no need for the title."

"No I caught that," Justin said with a hint of exasperation. "What I meant was, are you truly implying that the queen and the princess are... intimate?"

"No," Kai said, "I'm outright stating they are."

Justin's eyes widened in alarm. "But the law, the Charter! They'll be found in contempt! Surely you know that such a union cannot possibly produce an heir!"

"Believe me, I raised the same objections to them when they told me of their relationship," Kai replied. "However, Queen Elsa assured me that they had consulted several 'love experts' who had assured them that an heir was indeed possible from their union, with the proper application of magic of course."

"Of course," Justin said with no small amount of sarcasm. "And I suppose these so-called 'love experts' are who convinced you that two sisters could fall in love, right?"

Kai chuckled. "No, that one I saw for myself," he said. "I'm sure you've heard all about Queen Elsa's coronation three years ago?" Justin nodded. "Well, what most of us didn't know, and in fact it took the queen and the princess quite a while to figure it out themselves, but the truth is that it was their love for each other that was both the cause and the cure for Arendelle's unnatural winter. It was Queen Elsa's fear of losing her sister's love that caused her to lose control of her powers, and it was Princess Anna's act of self-sacrificing love that allowed her to regain it. So, you tell me. If you had seen a love powerful enough to turn winter to spring before your eyes, would you doubt it?"

Justin looked thoughtful for a few minutes. "Well, I suppose when you put it that way, it does make sense. But why then would the queen allow the princess to take such a risk with that duel?"

Kai shrugged. "It was necessary. Prince Cassius was acting within the law when he issued the duel, therefore the challenge had to be answered if they wanted their relationship to be taken seriously. Unfortunately for your prince, Princess Anna has spent the last three years training daily with the best swordsmen in the kingdom. She says that she does it so that she can protect Queen Elsa, but I think the betrayal by Prince Hans changed something deep within her, within them both really. Some days I'm not sure that it was a change for the better, but then I see them so happy together and I know that I would get a different answer if I were to ask them."

"And the people of Arendelle have said nothing about their unusual relationship?"

Kai beamed. "The people of Arendelle couldn't be happier for the royal sisters. They, too, saw the miracle of their love for each other, and the three years since have seen this kingdom's prosperity flourish like never before in its recorded history. No, my friend, the people of Arendelle will be the last to say anything negative about their beloved rulers, nor will they tolerate any dissent from outsiders within their hearing."

Justin studied the other man shrewdly for a moment before his eyes widened in realization. "There's been more than two, hasn't there? Attacks on the queen and Princess, I mean."

"I'm impressed," Kai said with a grin. "Not many would've put those clues together as quickly as you have. There have, in fact, been seven assassination attempts in the last three years, though none have come as close as Hans or Cassius did. Although most have been nothing but friendly and welcoming to Arendelle, there are still a few who see our beloved queen as nothing more than either a shortcut to an easy throne or an abomination to be destroyed. However, we're hoping that Prince Cassius will be the last."

Justin scoffed. "Not likely. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if he returns in a fortnight with as many of his father's warships as he can wrangle. That man has pride to spare, and his ego will not let this go."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Those are bold words to be speaking about one's lord."

Justin shook his head ruefully. "I'm afraid he won't be for much longer. After my... show of defiance today, I'll be lucky to live long enough to make it back to Gastonia to face my execution. I always knew that man would be the death of me, but at least I will pass on with a clear conscience."

Kai barely kept his fair free from the triumphant grin that threatened to erupt onto it at that moment. Placing his arm gently across the other man's shoulders, Kai began leading him further into the castle and away from the front gates. "Come, I think I may have a solution for you..."

Hours later in the queen's bedchamber, Anna and Elsa lay in a tangle of damp sheets and naked limbs, the sweat from their lovemaking still clinging to their bodies. The princess lay with her head on her sister's chest, listening contentedly to her heartbeat as the queen ran her fingers through her long red hair. As their breathing returned to normal, they conversed in whispers so as not to disturb the calm afterglow.

"He was the last of them, right?" Anna asked.

Elsa nodded slightly. "Yes, Dear Heart, he was the last. I'm surprised that he was the only one to make the challenge, though. I figured the man from Weselton would've been the first."

"No, love, he was the one that brought the poisoned mead, remember?" Anna replied. "Said it was a 'gift of apology from the Duke.'"

Elsa chuckled, a motion that Anna very much appreciated from her vantage point. "Ah yes, that's right. I suppose he took it personally when Corona offered to pick up Weselton's trade contract and give us a much better deal than the Duke would ever consider. Serves the bastard right." Anna reached up to capture her sister's lips in a searing kiss, well aware that the Duke was still a sore spot for her due to his attempt on her life.

When she was sure that Elsa was again calm enough to speak, kissing her a little longer than necessary just to make sure, Anna released the queen's mouth and settled back down on her breast, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist.

"I love your method for cheering me up, Dear Heart," Elsa cooed. Anna just smiled and cuddled in closer. "Anyway," Elsa continued, "That's the last duel you'll be fighting for my hand." Elsa smiled and kissed Anna on the forehead. "I was so proud of you back there. It's one thing to see it in your practice, but to see you actually use it took my breath away. You have no idea the weight it takes off my mind knowing that you can take care of yourself, my Anna."

"Well, you take such good care of me, it's only fair that I learn to protect you, too." This earned her a kiss that curled the younger girl's toes. When they finally broke for air and settled down, it was several minutes before Anna could concentrate enough to ask a question that had been bothering her ever since the duel.

"Speaking of protecting each other, what's to stop Prince Cassius from returning with an army at his command? He doesn't seem the type to give up so easily, and his father had already sent two assassins before he even arrived here."

Elsa frowned. "I know, and he will be dealt with, much like the late Duke of Weselton. I believe Kai is working on a special project as we speak that will provide enough inside information to handle it at our leisure, and with minimal bloodshed. He's mentioned before about having an 'inside source,' but he said he would only be able to do it if the opportunity presented itself. Which, by the way he was acting earlier, I believe it has. As for the prince, I'm afraid he won't be returning to Gastonia. It seems that his father made the mistake of sending him on the same ship that brought the two would-be assassins last year. Apparently someone recognized it, and so while he was up here trying to talk his way into my throne, a few of our loyal subjects were busy switching his ship's ballast with fast-melting ice. It should melt enough to capsize his ship in a day or two, giving him plenty of time to leave Arendelle's waters by then."

Anna propped herself up so she could look into Elsa's eyes. "And how could you possibly know all that?" She asked suspiciously.

Elsa smirked and kissed her nose. "A good queen never reveals all of her secrets, even to her most devoted of knights." Anna's response was to growl and attack her sister's sensitive rib cage with tickling fingers. The queen shrieked and began giving as good as she got, which soon dissolved into far more pleasurable activities that kept the two lovers busy for the rest of the day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Frozen and Tangled are the intellectual property of Disney. I claim no ownership over anything belonging to them that appears in this story.**

* * *

Queen Elsa of Arendelle looked on in amused contempt as the last of her attackers slumped lifelessly to the deck of her ship with her sister's sword still piercing his heart. They had barely arrived for Corona's Festival of Lights when their ship was boarded by two dozen men bearing the sun crest of Corona, identifying them as city guards. Before her men could question their presence they had sprung into action, drawing their swords and bellowing their battle cry. Unfortunately for them the Queen's guards were among the best swordsmen in her kingdom, and any attackers that made it through their steel and Elsa's magic were met with a quick death at the end of her sister's icy blade.

"I seem to recall our last welcome being considerably friendlier," the redhead smirked as she wiped the blood from her weapon. "What could we have done to annoy dear Rapunzel?"

"I have no idea, Dear Heart," Elsa replied. "But I imagine we're about to find out." Elsa's gaze was locked on the three struggling men being dragged before her. Her men had them bound at the wrists and gagged, and Elsa fought the urge to smirk as their muffled protests reached her ears. As they were forced to their knees in front of her, the Queen of Arendelle stepped forward and waved her hand, encasing their legs in ice. The three survivors quieted instantly at the display of magic and focused their complete attention on her steely glare.

"Now then," she said. "Which one of you is going to tell me the meaning of Corona's unprovoked attack on the Kingdom of Arendelle?" Seeing one of the captured men nodding for her attention, Elsa motioned for one of her guards to remove the gag from his mouth. As soon as the filthy rag had cleared his lips, the man spat at the Queen's feet and shot her a look of pure loathing.

"Fuck off to hell, witch! And take your fucking whore with you!" A lazy wave of Elsa's hand encased the man's head in a block of ice, preventing any more vitriol from escaping his lips. His two comrades looked on in horror as the doomed man slowly suffocated, his screaming muted by the blue death surrounding him. Elsa and Anna watched dispassionately as the man's struggling slowly ceased and he slumped to the floor at the Ice Queen's feet.

"Let's try this again," Elsa said slowly, drawing the terrified gazes of her two remaining captives. "When I grant you leave to speak, you will do so truthfully and respectfully or you will find out firsthand what your friend was screaming about. Am I understood?" Receiving two frantic nods, Elsa motioned for the gags to be removed.

"Your Majesty," one of them cried, "we are not of Corona! The uniforms were a ruse to allow us safe passage to your ship! Our orders were to kill your guards and capture you and your sister, alive and as unharmed as we could manage. You were to be brought before our Lord, the Duke of Weselton, who awaits us in the castle."

"I see," Elsa growled. "For what purpose?"

"He seeks to alter the trade agreement between Corona and Arendelle, your Majesty," the second man said. "Princess Rapunzel and Princess Anna were to be used as leverage to force your cooperation. We don't know what he plans to do once the agreement has been altered."

Anna leaned in close to her sister's ear. "He probably plans to hold us captive in Weselton as insurance against retaliation," she whispered. "Although I doubt if our virtue would last the first night in his dungeons." Elsa's eyes narrowed as she nodded in agreement.

"Are there any more surprises we should be aware of?" Elsa asked. When she didn't receive an immediate answer, she twirled her finger and conjured a pair of spiked collars around her prisoners' necks. She made a show of slowly closing her hand into a fist as the men felt the cold spikes begin tightening around their throats. It took only a few seconds before they broke and began shouting to be heard over each other.

"The Duke has crossbowmen patrolling the rooftops between here and the castle," one of them finally choked out. "They have orders to bring you down if you somehow got past this ambush. There should be no more than a dozen, and no other military presence that we know of inside the castle itself. Please, that's all we know, I swear it!"

The Queen searched his face for any sign of deceit before shooting Anna a quick glance. A small nod was all it took for the ice spikes to recede, leaving behind a ring of scarlet pinpricks on each man's throat. As the prisoners fought to regain control of their breathing, the soldiers of Arendelle seemed to breathe a small sigh of relief. As seasoned as they were, none of them doubted their beloved Queen's resolve when it came to her sister's safety and the lengths she was prepared to go to ensure it.

"I should've known that Duke Ferdinand wouldn't take that trade agreement lying down," Elsa muttered. "I just wish he hadn't chosen now of all times to make his move. This was supposed to be a relaxing vacation for us!"

Anna giggled. "I know, my Queen," she said. "But for some reason our enemies seem to have no regard for our social schedule. Damned inconsiderate of them, really." Elsa couldn't help but smile at her sister's playfulness, but the seriousness of the matter soon wiped it from her lips.

"All joking aside, how do we handle this?" Anna said. "The Duke must've heard of our arrival by now, so there's no doubt he'll be expecting us. His crossbowmen would surely notice our soldiers marching on the castle, and with so many people in the city for the Festival it could get very ugly, very quickly. And we can't just leave and let poor Rapunzel become the Duke's new toy, but it's not like we can just ride up to the castle to save her, can we?"

The whole time Anna was talking, Elsa had been pacing the deck of the ship, deep in thought. After a few moments she stopped suddenly and her face split into a wicked grin. "Yes, Dear Heart," she said, her smile turning predatory. "That's exactly what we're going to do."

-oOoOo-

The rumble of wooden wheels on the cobblestone street gave partygoers plenty of time to clear the way for the carriage bearing the Arendelle coat of arms. Many men, women, and children stopped to wave and cheer as the Queen of Arendelle passed by, smiling and nodding her greetings in return. Princess Anna was conspicuous in her absence, but most assumed she was further inside the carriage, likely regaining her land legs after such a long ship ride. Had anyone on the street cared to look skyward, they would've been met with the sight of Coronan guards with crossbows on their shoulders tracking the carriage as it went. So focused were they on the carriage below, none of them noticed Anna sneaking up on them until they felt her icy blade slide across their throats.

As the carriage approached the entrance to the castle courtyard, three Coronan guards stepped forward and motioned for the carriage to stop. As the three men drew closer, a discrete hand signal from the driver saw them removing their hands from the swords on their belts.

"Almost didn't recognize you in that getup, Bernhard," the designated leader growled in a voice thick with the accent of Weselton. "I do hope you and Dietrich will save me a dance at the ball."

"Fuck off, Stefan," Bernhard grumbled. "The sooner I'm out of this costume the sooner I can be on a bar stool with a stiff drink in my hand."

The impostor guard chuckled. "Oh? Did the ice witch give you a bit of trouble?"

Bernhard scoffed. "You could say that. We lost Ulrich and half of our men fighting through her guards, and then while we were fighting through this one's magic her sister jumped over the side of the damned ship. The rest of our men were combing the harbor looking for her as we left, so I'm sure she's either dead or captured by now."

Stefan nodded. "Probably, stupid whore. I've heard that she thinks she's some sort of knight or something, likes to play with swords and armor made for children." He laughed harshly and spit his contempt into the dirt. "Pity. I would've enjoyed showing her how a real man fights, among other things." The leer on Stefan's face showed just what other things he was thinking about, and Bernhard winced as a squeeze from the icy collar hidden beneath his disguise told him that the Ice Queen had figured it out, too.

"Oh well, there's plenty of pretty skirts to be chased around here once this deal's over and done with," Stefan said, stepping back and waving the carriage through. "Best not keep the Duke waiting."

Bernhard nodded and urged the horses forward and into the courtyard proper. As the carriage passed them, Stefan smirked and blew a kiss at the smoldering glare that Elsa shot him from the window. He would never admit that the look in her eyes almost sent him running for the nearest bar stool himself.

His attention was drawn from the carriage by the sound of two bodies hitting the ground behind him. He whirled around with his hand on his sword to find his two comrades dead with crossbow bolts lodged in their hearts. He jerked his head up to find Princess Anna standing in front of a group of the Queen's guards with an empty crossbow in her hands and a smirk on her face. Stefan watched as she passed the weapon back to one of her men who began reloading it next to another man who was busy doing the same.

"Now correct me if I'm wrong," she said, "but I'm sure I heard someone saying how they'd like a chance to teach this 'stupid whore' how 'a real man fights.'" She drew her sword with an elegant arc of her arm while Stefan's fear caused him to fumble and almost drop his own. "If it's not too much trouble," she said with a grin, "I think I'm ready for my lesson now."

-oOoOo-

In the grand ballroom of the castle of Corona, an imposing figure of a man and two beautiful women were staring daggers at Duke Ferdinand of Weselton as he smiled amusedly at the back of the servant scurrying from the uncomfortable chamber. His smile only grew wider as he turned to see the harsh glares being directed at him by the royal family. With a small chuckle, he scooped up a glass of wine and toasted his angry hosts before taking a sip and swishing it around in his mouth before swallowing it with a contented sigh.

"I do so love Coronan wine," he said, pausing to sniff the liquid remaining in the glass. "I'll be sure to add a recurring shipment of it to our new trade agreement, once the Queen and the Princess grace us with their presence. I've just been told that they should be arriving at any moment. I took the liberty of arranging for an escort to meet them at the harbor. You know how dangerous those harbor ruffians can be."

King Phillip of Corona took a deep breath and released it in a low growl. "I've told you countless times since you arrived here that there will be no renegotiation of the trade agreement between Corona and Arendelle, no matter how insistent you remain on the matter. The trade between our nations is and always will be none of your business. Now, I'll thank you to leave us to greet our new arrivals in peace."

Duke Ferdinand smiled coldly. "Oh I really think I should be here for this, Your Majesty," he said. "I have a feeling that they'll have some very interesting things to say."

The king opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by the doors to the grand ballroom slamming open to admit a furious Queen of Arendelle being trailed by two nervous looking Coronan guards. Elsa had just reached the platform where the royal family sat when the doors were once again slammed open by Princess Anna as she quickly ran up to join her sister.

The Duke opened his arms in a grand gesture of greeting. "Queen Elsa and Princess Anna of Arendelle! How truly delightful it is to see such stunning visions of beauty and elegance. Why, your presence together with Queen Anne and Princess Rapunzel leaves me nearly overcome with ecstasy."

Elsa merely cocked an eyebrow at the man's cheek. "Pity it's only nearly, Duke Ferdinand." Her harsh glare melted into a genuine smile as she turned to greet the royal family. "Your Majesties, Your Highness. We apologize for our abrupt entrance but we had been led to believe that you were being held here against your will."

"You're not far from the truth, Your Majesty, Your Highness," King Phillip replied, while Queen Anne graced them with a slightly strained smile and Rapunzel smiled brightly and waved at them.

"You wound me, Your Majesties," Duke Ferdinand cried as he fisted his heart dramatically. "I was merely hoping to persuade you to reopen negotiations regarding our previous trade agreement. I believe that the situation as it stands is in no one's benefit, whereas the agreement I propose will see us all receive what we wish. Does that not sound appealing?"

"Does your new agreement explain the cadre of soldiers you sent aboard our ship dressed as Coronan guards in an effort to capture us?" Anna snarled, her right hand twitching towards her sword.

King Phillip leapt to his feet. "You had men pose as soldiers of Corona to perpetrate an act of war against one of our closest allies, on Coronan soil no less, and then you have the audacity to waltz into my throne room and make demands as if nothing was amiss? What possible explanation could you offer for this outrage?"

The Duke dropped his chin to his chest and shook his head with a sigh before looking up into the terrified faces of Bernhard and Dietrich. "I'm very disappointed in you gentlemen. I'm quite certain that my orders were merely to capture them and bring them to the castle, not explain the whole plot to them on the ride up."

"I've heard quite enough," King Phillip growled. "You can explain the rest of the details to my jailer. Guards!" His eyes narrowed suspiciously when the expected clatter of armor and weapons failed to materialize. "Guards!"

After another moment of silence, Duke Ferdinand cleared his throat. "It doesn't appear as if they heard you, Your Majesty. Perhaps someone else might have better luck. Guards!" Immediately the doors surrounding the ballroom burst open as armed men bearing the crest of Weselton began pouring into the room all around them. King Phillip and Princess Anna instinctively drew their swords but quickly relented when they found themselves facing down a hundred sharpened points. Duke Ferdinand was an island of calm in the chaos surrounding him, smiling faintly at the looks of shock worn by Elsa and Anna.

"Come now, Your Majesty," he said as he caught Elsa's eye. "You don't think I'd be stupid enough to share my entire plan with a group of men who had a very high probability of being captured and questioned, do you? I had hoped that you would have killed them all and spared me the trouble of paying them once their mercenary contracts were up, but I suppose only having to pay two of them isn't so bad. Now," he said, turning to the two men quivering in fear before him, "I know you failed to capture them, but I do wonder how it is that they captured you?"

Frowning in thought, the Duke slowly approached the cowering men, his eyes darting all over them as if looking for something. His eyes widened as they caught sight of the bulges under their collars. With a sharp tug he ripped the cloth from around their necks and exposed the spiked collars of ice, eliciting several gasps from the men surrounding them.

He leaned in closely and spent several moments examining each one before turning to regard Elsa with a look akin to respect. "Exquisite," he said, turning once again to resume his examination. "Absolutely marvelous. I must say that if you ever decide to abdicate the throne you'll have no trouble making your way as a jewelry designer, Your Majesty." He stood up straight and looked the two men in the eye.

"Gentlemen, it seems that I owe you an apology," he said brightly. "I daresay that anyone who found themselves as bearers of these masterworks of torture would spill any secret they carried in order to be rid of them. I certainly don't envy you the last few hours, nor do I hold them against you. Perhaps if you were to ask nicely, the good Queen would be kind enough to remove these devices from your throats and allow you to be on your way?" Three stares, two hopeful and one curious, turned as one to be met with Elsa's stony mask. When it was clear that she had no intention of fulfilling their request, Duke Ferdinand turned back to the two men and shrugged. "Pity."

In the blink of an eye the Duke's hands shot forward and slammed into their necks, forcing the icy spikes into their windpipes. He calmly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and began wiping the blood from his hands as the two men collapsed and began writhing and gurgling on the floor, their life's blood bubbling through their fingers to stain the wood crimson. He waited patiently until both men had stilled before turning his attention back to his captive audience.

"Now then," he said, "I believe it's time for us to all sit down and go over a few ideas I've been kicking around with regards to the distribution of wealth among our three nations." Seeing Anna's furtive glance toward the doors through which she entered, Duke Ferdinand raised a curious eyebrow. "What's the matter, Your Highness? You're not thinking of retiring early are you?" His smile turned sinister. "Or are you expecting the rest of your guards to come barreling in here any minute to kick off some epic and climactic battle between Good and Evil?" He chuckled as her eyes widened in alarm. "Oh yes, I've read those stories too. Delightfully entertaining, and surprisingly educational! For example, how else would I have known to keep a reserve of my forces hidden outside the castle walls if I wasn't expecting a surprise attack from a hearty group of the Queen's royal guards? After all, these treaties take time to work out, and I do so hate being interrupted."

-oOoOo-

Not even the roar of the Festival could drown out the clash of metal and the screams of the injured and dying as Arendelle's guards fought desperately to repel the attack that had taken them by surprise a short eternity ago. General Mondo, the captain of the Queen's guard, fought to keep his footing on the blood-slicked cobblestones as he barked a continuous stream of orders while fending off every enemy sword and spear that was thrust at him. He had brought along fifty of his finest soldiers, but even the best fighters knew not to count on escaping a three-to-one fight alive. He had managed to rally several of his troops and was casting around for a more defensible position when he caught sight of another group of armed men surging toward them from the city below.

Just as he was about to point out the enemy reinforcements to the rest of his men, the new fighters entered the ring of torchlight illuminating the battlefield and his words died in his throat. Instead of a warning, the only thing he could think to say was "what the Hell?"

-oOoOo-

Duke Ferdinand of Weselton bore a self-satisfied smirk as he waited for the ink to dry on the parchment in front of him. "Now then, to summarize. The Kingdoms of Arendelle and Corona will forthwith and forever cease trading directly with each other and will instead direct their trade through the Duchy of Weselton until such time as the Duke of Weselton wish to renegotiate this arrangement. In payment for its services as broker and agent, the Duchy of Weselton is entitled to a 30% fee on every act of trade between the Kingdoms of Arendelle and Corona, or a minimum monthly stipend of 30% of each Kingdom's gross income, whichever is higher. As a further act of good faith between these three partners, the Duchy of Weselton will also agree to provide housing, maintenance, and vocation to Princess Anna of Arendelle and Princess Rapunzel of Corona in perpetuity until the dissolution of this trade agreement." The Duke nodded and smiled at the scowling faces sitting across the table from him. "I think that sounds fair, don't you lads?" He looked over his shoulder at his assembled army as their cheers echoed off the stone walls of the grand ballroom. Anna and Rapunzel both shivered with disgust at the leers they were receiving from most of the slavering mob.

When the cheers finally died down, the Duke held out his hands to Anna and Rapunzel and beckoned for them to join him. "You should probably say your goodbyes, Your Highnesses," he said with a charming smile. "The people of Weselton are simply dying to show their hospitality."

Ignoring the callous laughter and lewd comments from the Duke's army, five sets of royal eyes all met and nodded without uttering a word, still managing to convey a world of meaning among them. As one they stood, the very image of poise and grace. The Duke merely raised his eyebrows in amusement and looked to Elsa to speak.

"Duke Ferdinand, after careful consideration of your most generous offer, the Kingdoms of Arendelle and Corona have decided to grant the Duchy of Weselton the privilege of hosting Princess Anna and Princess Rapunzel… until such time as you along with every member of your entourage have been drawn and quartered in a public square, along with having any homes or businesses owned by your family razed to the ground. Furthermore, I, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, along with King Phillip and Queen Anne of Corona, will be eagerly awaiting an invitation to this most happy event."

By the time she was done speaking the Duke's face had hardened into a mask of indignant fury. "Very well," he spat through gritted teeth, "if these are truly your wishes then you leave me no choice." He turned to his men and said, "Capture the Princesses. Kill the rest."

The last word had barely escaped his lips before the army of Weselton charged. With a roar of defiance King Phillip overturned the solid wood table while Queen Anne drew two hidden daggers from her sleeves and began slashing at anything that came too close. Elsa fortified the table with a barrier of jagged ice before releasing a blast of winter air from her hands, scattering the soldiers charging her in a burst of frost and snow. Anna drew her sword with a fierce battle cry and leapt into the fray, not wasting a single movement as she dispatched foe after foe.

Seeing that she had yet to draw a weapon or act in any way, several of Weselton's soldiers charged straight for Princess Rapunzel. With a flourish her hand flew to her waist and withdrew a six foot bullwhip which immediately began cracking and slashing at the attacking soldiers as if it were alive. Twirling and twisting, Rapunzel became a flurry of movement as she wielded the whip with devastating effects. Each crack was accompanied by a scream of pain as flesh was rent to bone, fingers were sheared from hands, and eyes, ears, and throats were opened in a spray of blood.

Just outside Rapunzel's circle of pain, Queen Elsa stood encased in a swirling vortex of razor sharp ice shards that made quick work of shredding anything it touched. Protected by her wall of ice, her hands flowed like water as she conducted her own symphony of death. The slightest twirl of her fingers caused men's hearts to freeze in their chests. With the wave of her hands she caused limbs to freeze and shatter, leaving the victim an easy target for a finishing thrust or slash. Raising her arms to the sky, Elsa summoned a wave of ice spikes up from the ground and into a group of enemies, leaving them twisting and screaming as they clawed feebly at the pillars of ice running them through.

Seeing their brethren impaled on a forest of ice, several of the Duke's men turned to flee the wrath of the angry Ice Witch, only to run headlong into her sister's icy blade. Jabs, slashes, parries, ripostes; if Queen Elsa was conducting a symphony, then Princess Anna was dancing to its music. Anna's face was a mask of concentration as her years of training and instinct took over, and none who crossed swords with her lived through the encounter.

Although not nearly as skilled or deadly as the other three, King Phillip and Queen Anne were still holding their own behind their fortified table barricade. By the time the Weselton soldiers managed to climb over the jagged ice, they were immediately set upon by the besieged couple. Queen Anne's long white sleeves were quickly stained to her elbows in blood as her daggers opened throats and pierced hearts left, right, and center. King Phillip had forgone a weapon altogether, electing instead to deliver his punishment with his bare hands. Arms, necks, and skulls all shattered under the force of his blows as he showed the intruders the price for attacking his Kingdom.

Looking on in shock at the carnage in front of him, Duke Ferdinand cursed and began making his way toward one of the exits. He was only a few steps away when he felt something cold materialize around his neck and start to squeeze. Frantically he began clawing at the icy collar, but his fingers merely slipped off its perfectly smooth surface. Collapsing to the floor with the sound of battle mingling with that of the blood pounding in his head, he had just enough time to see Queen Elsa smirking and wagging her fingers at him before his vision went black.

-oOoOo-

Three days after the failed coup, the sisters of Arendelle were cuddling on their private balcony overlooking the water surrounding the castle, naked except for a sheet around their shoulders, watching the lanterns float lazily through the sky. This was the first time they'd been able to spend some quality time together since they had arrived, and they were taking full advantage of it.

The aftermath of the battle was intense. With the Duke captured and most of Weselton's army either dead or in chains, King Phillip and Queen Elsa sent troops over to help keep the peace as well as to quell any further uprisings against their kingdoms. The people of Weselton were appalled by what their Duke had tried to do, but only time would tell whether or not they remained an independent Duchy. Queen Elsa was loath to allow a third Duke the chance to harm her kingdom, a sentiment that King Phillip shared whole-heartedly.

Elsa and Anna were surprised and relieved to find General Mondo as well as over half their original guard alive and in relative good health outside the castle once the battle had finally ceased. They had immediately rushed to hear his report, and were shocked and amused by what they heard.

"We were ambushed from behind," he told them as he watched his men receive medical attention. "The men fought like champions, but there were just too many of them. We were all making peace with our makers when the strangest thing happened," he chuckled. "Apparently someone heard about what was going on inside the castle and went to get help. He showed up with some of the strangest men I've ever seen, but my God, could they fight. Once they joined in and started helping us it was pretty much over. I've been looking for the leader ever since to thank him, but I haven't spotted him yet. Oh! Look, there he is!"

Elsa and Anna had looked to where Mondo was pointing to find Rapunzel wrapped in a tight embrace with her fiancé Eugene under the watchful eye of a magnificent white horse. The sisters smiled tenderly as they saw the couple running their hands all over each other checking for injuries. Neither woman failed to notice that some areas got checked more thoroughly and more often than others.

They had held a funeral service in honor of the men that both Kingdoms had lost in the fighting. It was decided that Festival would continue in honor of those men who had bled and died to protect Corona's beloved royal family as well as their friends and allies from Arendelle. It would be a sad day in Arendelle when they returned with the news of the tragic losses, and the sisters knew that things would only get darker in the times to come.

So Gastonia was really behind all of this?" Anna asked her Queen.

Elsa nodded. "According to Ferdinand, dear Prince Cassius left word that if he should fail to return then it was obviously due to foul play on our part. Apparently the idea was to use the excuse of a trade agreement to capture you and Rapunzel with the goal of gaining control of both our kingdoms and splitting them evenly between Weselton and Gastonia."

Anna smirked. "Well, we _did_ kinda cause his ship to sink on the return journey to Gastonia. I suppose that might count as foul play, but he had it coming to him after attacking us like that. I'm surprised the Southern Isles didn't join in this little plot."

"They turned down the invitation, actually," Elsa said. "Apparently their reply basically read, 'we have no plans of repeating Prince Hans's mistake.' I don't think they'll be a problem for us anymore."

Anna shook her head. "Perhaps not, but Gastonia will." She turned to look Elsa in the eye. "They need to be dealt with."

Elsa leaned in and gave her sister a tender kiss. "They will be, Dear Heart. No one attacks us with impunity, as ex-Duke Ferdinand is learning as we speak."

-oOoOo-

Many miles away in a solitary tower where a dashing rogue once enchanted a lonely princess, Ferdinand of Weselton was beginning to stir from being knocked unconscious. As his senses slowly returned to him, he found himself suspended from the ceiling looking down at a large spike of crystal clear ice rising up from the floor and ending about a foot away from his midsection. He could tell by the numbness in his hands that whatever was holding him up was made of ice too, and he made a mental note to kill Queen Elsa in the most painful way possible when next they met.

Casting his eyes around the dimly lit room, he finally spied a large block of ice which seemed to be acting as a counterweight to keep him suspended. Taking a moment to picture the contraption in his mind, he then spent the next several minutes trying frantically to extricate himself, but to no avail. Undaunted, he began slowly and methodically trying every combination of twisting, turning, and wiggling he could think of to free him from his icy prison until exhaustion finally caused him to still.

As he hung limply to give his aching muscles a break, he was shocked to find the tip of the ice spike had now come within inches of piercing his belly. His panic granting him a second wind, Ferdinand once again began looking around for any sign or clue that might grant him his freedom. His eyes were slowly skimming the room when he suddenly froze and took a closer look at his frozen counterweight.

His eyes having adjusted to the darkness, Ferdinand could now see that the block of ice was illuminated by a large candle just off to one side of it. Looking closer, he noticed that the ice itself seemed to have been formed in such a way as to direct water away from the candle as it melted, which it had quite a bit if the puddle of water on the floor was any indication. It took him only a moment to realize the implications of this new discovery, but by now the adrenaline had worn off and left him barely able to open his eyes.

Elsa and Anna were aware of none of this. After watching the last of the lanterns float lazily out to sea, the two sisters kissed and caressed their way to their bedroom where they took great care in showing each other just how much they meant to one another. By the time the two lovers finally collapsed into a tangle of limbs and sweat a few hours later, Duke Ferdinand of Weselton had recovered just enough energy to scream.

* * *

**Author's note: The following is a scene which I wrote but later removed from the story as it didn't quite fit the tone of the rest of the scene. However, I thought it was kinda funny, so I'm adding it here.**

The balance of battle was quickly turning in favor of the Duke until another cry from the great doors changed everything. Elsa and Anna almost wilted with relief as they watched General Mondo lead the rest of their guards into the battle, followed by the strangest group of men that either woman had ever seen. Elsa was staring at a large man with a hook for a hand that he began using with deadly efficiency, while Anna was stunned by an even larger man using the horns on his helmet in much the same way that a bull would, with similar results. Both women fought desperately to forget the image of the half-naked septuagenarian who had climbed onto a chandelier and began shooting arrows pulled from the quiver between the wings lashed to his back.

The Arendelle sisters' incredulity grew even further when they spotted some of the weapons being wielded by the newcomers. "Are those… frying pans?" Elsa asked.

Anna nodded dumbly. "Yeah, I think so. Who in the Nine Hells are these people?"

"Ruffians!" Rapunzel cried happily from her place beside them. Elsa and Anna shot her incredulous looks, locked eyes with each other, and shrugged, too tired and relieved for anything else.


End file.
